Plaid Is the New Black
September 10, 2016
One of this AW16 trends proposed by designers such as Vetements - in the form of suits and slashed skirts, Isabel Marant put it on coats and Dries Van Noten employed it on blazers is the plaid. Yup - plaid, checked, grid.
Heritage looks were updated via unexpected, sometimes awkward, silhouettes. At Vetements (and Isabel Marant), Prince of Wales check got the Eighties school girl treatment; meanwhile tweeds were shot through with lurex to give Simone Rocha's collection a precious sheen.
Nevetheless, we will find the same trend again next year as already proposed in their resort collections (SS17) by Cristopher Kane, Sandy Liang, MSGM (they opted for gingham), Fendi, Ula Johnson and many more.
Heritage looks were updated via unexpected, sometimes awkward, silhouettes. At Vetements (and Isabel Marant), Prince of Wales check got the Eighties school girl treatment; meanwhile tweeds were shot through with lurex to give Simone Rocha's collection a precious sheen.
Nevetheless, we will find the same trend again next year as already proposed in their resort collections (SS17) by Cristopher Kane, Sandy Liang, MSGM (they opted for gingham), Fendi, Ula Johnson and many more.
So, invest now in some pieces that you can mix and match into your wardrobe!
For today's outfit, I chose a fabulous two-piece set from Zaful, see more details about it below.
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Short Fashion History Lesson:
Most of us don't know the difference between plaid and tartan. Tartan refers to the unique cloth patterns which distinguish one Scottish clan or geographical region from another. By the original Scottish definition, a "plaid" was a Celtic kilt or blanket which served as an outer layer to battle the Highland elements.
Plaid, as we know it, was later appropriated by British and American manufacturers, who created patterned fabric which resembled tartan. In the 18th century, the tartan was actually banned from Britain due to the fabric's rebel uniform association with the Scottish Rebellion of 1745 against the union of Scotland and England. Bref, during the 19th century, the pattern made the leap from Europe to the U.S., where it became known by the moniker we know today: plaid. Midwest company Woolrich Woolen Mills gave plaid's popularity a boost when they originated Buffalo plaid in the 1850s. Buffalo plaid's distinctive red and black checkered pattern became a staple amongst those in outdoor professions — most notably, lumberjacks. Clothing company Pendleton debuted a mass-produced plaid shirt for men in 1924, which became an instant casual wear hit.
After several decades of developing into one of the United State's favored patterns, plaid returned to its insurgent origins as a form of liberated, devil-may-care style. Plaid became ubiquitous in the 1970s, adorning everything from suits to interior design elements. Though originally imbued with sweet, rustic connotations, the plaid shirt became part of a more sexualized look when The Dukes of Hazard's Daisy knotted hers above the waist and wore it with daring hot pants.
Across the pond, Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Stewart Tartan was appropriated by the punk movement in the form of ripped layers and shredded shirts. The look was famously intended to give the fabric, associated with the monarchy, an anarchic spin. Spurred by the cultural phenomenon, Vivienne Westwood began to popularize her famously punk-inspired plaid on the coattails of the movement. Plaid was about to become a symbol of rebellion once more.
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The 1980s proved a pivotal decade for plaid. public figures including Princess Diana exhibited the fabric's more pristine potential. But meanwhile, the grunge movement was starting to take form in the Pacific Northwest, spurring what would become plaid's most notorious decade yet. I talked about grunge in my last post, go here.
Today, plaid is a bit of a maverick pattern. Fall 2013 became the autumn of insouciant plaid, and when Hedi Slimane designed Saint Laurent's Fall 2014 line, critics were aghast at his blatant channeling of grunge.Plaid has also of course become associated with Hipsters, who are both referencing the '90s and lumberjacks with their nostalgic style.
Love,
Carla
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